The carburization resistance of a range of heat resisting alloys, including a new grade, has been investigated. Attention was focussed on the effects of aluminium and reactive element additions on the performance of Fe-19Cr-45Ni-3Mo (all compositions in weight percent). The alloys were exposed isothermally at temperatures of 900-1100C to flowing gas mixtures of hydrogen – 5 volume percent methane. Internal precipitation of chromium-rich carbides, M7C3 and M23C6, was the main corrosion process for all alloys. Parabolic kinetics were observed, and comparison of the rate constants with those predicted from Wagner’s diffusion theory was used to identify the benefits of the minor alloy additions. The alloys were also subjected to carburising – oxidising conditions, using a gas composition H2- 4.7CH4-6H2O volume percent, producing an oxygen potential high enough to react chromium and aluminium, but not iron or nickel. To make conditions more severe, temperature cycling was employed: 45 min at reaction temperature and 15 min at room temperature, repeated 500 times. At 1000C, all alloys behaved protectively, growing spallation-resistant oxide scales which prevented carbon entering the metal. At 1100C, the alloys initially behaved in the same way, but spallation commenced after 200 cycles. Although this led to net weight losses, the alloys retained the ability to reform protective oxide scales for at least 500 cycles, thereby achieving protection against carburization.
Keywords: High temperature, internal precipitation, carburisation, oxidation